An 18-year-old boy, Prosper Taiwo, was sentenced on Thursday to 12 months in prison by a Karu Upper Area Court sitting in Abuja for stealing 200 dollars belonging to his client.
The judge, Isa Adamu, however, gave the convict the option of a N40,000 fine and warned him to desist from committing crime.
Adamu ordered the convict to pay the sum of 200 dollars, or its equivalent, to the victim.
The convict, a resident of Jikwoyi, Abuja, and a painter, was charged with criminal trespass, criminal breach of trust, and theft. He pleaded guilty to the charges.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Ayotunde Adeyanju, told the court that the complainant, Mrs. Ogidan Ajibola of Kugbo 1, Abuja, reported the matter at the Karu Police station on March 14.
“The complainant had alleged that on Feb. 29, the convict was invited to a house belonging to her friend, Mrs. Abigail Fadare, in order to paint her children’s room.
“While painting the children’s room, the convict criminally entered the Fadare room and stole 200 dollars, which equivalent was at the time N340, 000.
“After perpetrating the act, the convict ran to an unknown destination until March 14, when he came to the same area to steal again,” Adeyanju told the court.
He said that during police investigation, the convict confessed to have committed the same crime, while the stolen money could not be recovered.
Adeyanju said the offence contravened sections 348, 312 and 288 of the Penal Code (NAN)
